Adrift 1
by Kari J. Dammerman
Summary: Old fic of mine I wrote long ago for Between The Lines. This story is asking, WHAT IF HARM’S PLANE DIDN’T GO DOWN INTO THE OCEAN? WOULD MAC HAVE STILL MARRIED BRUMBY? I kind of skipped most of the carrier parts, but it follows Adrift 1 mostly. *2 parts*


Title: ADRIFT I - Harm's Plane Doesn't Go Down In The

Ocean

Author: Kari J. Dammerman

Email: karebear15_21_

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: JAG and all characters belong to CBS and

DB. This story isn't making money and is

for fan fiction purposes only.

Contains: No Spoilers

Summary: This story is asking, WHAT IF HARM'S PLANE

DIDN'T GO DOWN INTO THE OCEAN? WOULD MAC HAVE STILL

MARRIED BRUMBY? I kind of skipped most of the carrier

parts, but it follows Adrift 1 mostly. I hope to get

feedback…

***********

JAG Headquarters

"Comin' in tomorrow?" Harm asked Mac who had just

closed her office door and was just heading out.

"No, too much to do," a tired Mac replies.

"Well I'll see you at the wedding, then."

"No actually, you'll see me at the rehearsal dinner,

first," Mac says, walking past Harm and towards the

elevator. Meanwhile, Harm is overlooking a case file.

"Mac, w-wait. W-We talked about this. Come on. Uh, I-I

told you I wasn't coming," Harm responds as he follows

her to the hallway with the file still in his hands.

Mac turns and looks at him.

"No, we never talked about it. And why can't you

come?"

"I go to do my six-month quals."

"You're going out to a carrier?" Mac sounds shocked.

"Yeah, in the morning. Renee'll be at the dinner."

"You didn't tell me this, Harm."

"Well, I cleared it with the Admiral." Mac seems very

disappointed as she walks away from Harm to the

elevator. "I'll, I'll be at the ceremony." Harm walks

after her. "Come on, Mac. It's not my schedule. It's

the Navy's." Mac pounds the elevator button and turns

back at Harm with a furious look.

"What if the Navy changes its schedule and you don't

make it to the ceremony?" Mac asks him, sounding very

hurt and angry at the same time.

"You let me worry about that," Harm replies.

"Well, why do either one of us have to worry about

it?!? Why does this even have to come up? I mean,

couldn't you just do your quals some other time?"

"Six months from now," Harm said, trying to plead his

case….it wasn't working.

"Harm, you fly maximum two, three times a year, and

for that you risk missing my wedding?" Mac sounds very

hurt as the elevator door opens.

"I didn't consider it a risk." Harm shrugs his

shoulders.

"No, the truth is that you didn't consider it

important." Mac steps onto the elevator and turns and

looks at him. Harms steps in front of the elevator

door.

"Hey! Slow down. Come…Mac. First off, this was

arranged long before you even set a date and secondly,

frankly, if you need me at your wedding to make it

work, maybe you should reconsider who you're

marrying." Mac looks at him with even more hurt, like

he shoved a knife through her heart. She punches one

of the buttons in the elevator. "Oh, hey, I'm…Mac."

"Have fun," she says, blankly and quietly.

"Aren't you going to wish me luck?" Harm asks, very

quietly also. Mac just looks at him as the elevator

closes.

OPENING CREDITS…

THE NEXT DAY

Virginia Capes Operating Area

Harm lands aboard carrier, meets up with Skates, and

they chat a little about the Captain.

Mac's Apartment

Mac and Mic talk about Chloe and kiss a little. Mic

says he has to leave and goes into the next room.

"We have to call the restaurant and cancel one of the

meals for tonight," Mac says, slowly walking into the

next room.

"Who's not coming?"

"Harm. He's doing his quals."

"No worries."

"Well, you know it took me by surprise."

"No drama. I'll take care of it." He gives her some

coffee and a kiss before walking to the door. "See

ya."

"Thanks. Not exactly the kind of behavior you expect

from your best friend."

"I thought I was your best friend?" Mic smiles before

leaving.

"Bye," Mac replies, feeling upset at the moment.

Back on the carrier…

Harm on the bridge, talking to the CO. He meets the

LSO and the LSO doesn't really care much for him.

Skates sticks up for him. They leave.

Jewelry Store

Mic and Bud are talking about the engagement rings.

Blah…blah…blah…

Carrier…

Harm and Skates are talking. They reach the subject

of Mac's wedding. Skates asks when. Harm replies

tomorrow morning. She gives him a questioning look.

In Front of the Mirror

Harriet is looking at Mac is her gown. She starts

crying. They talk about the wedding. Mac looks

distracted as she looks in the mirror. Harriet notices

and replies by saying she's been quiet lately. They

talk about Harm. Harriet says "the best you can do is

not take it personally and wish him the best of luck."

Mac is struck by the this remembering she never said

good luck. You can tell by her face.

Carrier…

LSO talks to the squadron. Navy talk…He picks on Harm

by asking him a question. He says waters cold out

there.

Flash to jets taking off. Harm takes off, puts hook

down, LSO yells "Fly The Ball" and Harm lands on

carrier and flies back off. LSO takes him out of the

air. Harm is mad and so is the LSO. Skates sticks up

for him. LSO lets him go back up as long as his next

traps are "spaghetti or he's sending him back to the

beach."

TRAP ONE…all good. TRAP TWO…perfect. TRAP

THREE…getting darker outside, perfect trap. TRAP

FOUR…excellent and it's a sunset.

The Church

Mac and Chloe are talking. Here comes Mic. Chloe

doesn't like him and it shows. More people show up

like the admiral, bud, etc…

Carrier…

Harm and Skates are talking about night traps. Skates

met a guy, says she's getting married. Harm says he

still lives here. Skates strikes a nerve when she

asks, "Is that why you're missing your best friend's

wedding?" Harm stops and looks at her. "I'll be

there."

The Church & The Carrier

The rehearsal starts with music as it flashes between

the rehearsal and Harm's night traps. Chloe…the

tomcat…Mic…the tomcat…Mac and the admiral...the

tomcat…Mac and Mic putting on fake rings…the

tomcat…kneeling, eating fake bred…the tomcat…the

wedding kiss…and then Harm on the carrier, looking at

the jets. Harm, Skipper, and LSO talk. Harm says he's

got to make the wedding. Skates is going too.

The Church

Everyone leaves except Bud and Harriet whose car

won't start.

The Carrier

Harm and Skates take a plane and say goodbye to the

Skipper.

Rehearsal Dinner

They drink champagne, Mic tries bonding with Chloe,

etc..

Tomcat

Skates and Harm are flying in bad weather.

Dinner

Mac and Admiral talk about Mac's future.

Tomcat

Skates and Harm still flying. Only 180 miles to go.

Tomcat turns on its own. The storm is really picking

up.

Church

Bud and Harriet are trying to get their car started,

but it isn't working very well.

Tomcat

Red light. Harm switches to manual.

Dinner

Renee shows up and Mac comes to talk to her. Awkward

moment. They get champagne. Renee asks is she's ready.

Mac says exactly when. Renee corrects her. Very

awkward situation.

Tomcat

Skates says they are experiencing flight control

problems. Break contact with Washington center.

Dinner

Mic and Chloe talk.

Carrier

Skipper sees something is wrong. Says they lost them

on the radar. Getting ready for SAR.

Tomcat

They have to check a new location. The tomcat is

getting a bumpy ride. They seem like they're going

down and they have to fly straight through the storm

cell.

Church

Harriet and Bud get the car started and make their

way to the dinner.

Carrier

Tomcat gives them an emergency signals.

Tomcat

They are planning to land in 19 minutes at Cape Fear.

Skates thinks that they can't make it. Now, here's the

part to change:

"We're going to make it, Skates!" Harm yells, trying

to get the Tomcat under control. The storm is jerking

them around like they're on a rollercoaster doing

turns every 7 seconds.

"16 minutes, Harm and we'll be at Cape Fear."

"Good Skates. Just hold on and keep trying to get

contact with Washington center." Lightning strikes

right beside the tomcat. Harm is a little iffy now.

They continue flying and see the runway of Cape Fear

Airport.

"Tomcat, this is Cape 151. Do you read me?" the air

traffic controller in the tower says.

"Affirmative. This is Navy 241, preparing for

emergency landing," Skates says.

"Skates, what's the reading?" Harm asks, barely being

able to see because of the rain.

"You're a little low, rate of descent looks good.

Wheels down."

"Navy 241, you're looking good. Prepare for landing."

"We're coming down!" Harm yells as they slowly

descend down towards the runway. THUD...EE---EE-EE-EE-

"What is that, Harm?"

"The storm blew the left wheel off. We're going to

have to land with one wheel."

Dinner

Bud falls in the mud puddle, but jumps up and runs

inside with Harriet. Meanwhile, inside, Admiral is

starting a speech when Bud comes in and begins to give

the toast. He gives the beautiful toast about meeting

Harriet. Then, he says stuff about Mic and Mac.

Tomcat

"HOLD ON, SKATES!" Harm yelled as they slowly land

onto the edge of the runway. …….SCRAPE, SCRAPE,

SCRAPE, SCRAPE… EEECCCCKKKKKK...

"AH!!" Both Harm and Skates screamed. The tomcat was

leaning to the left and slowly skidding along the

runway. It quickly slid off the edge of the runway

towards the gate, in the grass. The right wheel

couldn't hold the tomcat on its own and broke off too.

The tomcat began to spin in circles in the grass

until, it all stopped. It slammed into the gate and

ended up turning onto its left side and sitting at an

angle. It looked like triangular tent with the gate as

one side and sideways tomcat as the other…

Carrier

"Have you heard anything from them?" the CO asks the

Lt. who had lost contact with the tomcat.

"No, sir," the Lt. replies. "They have either went

down or landed in Andrews, sir."

"Contact Andrews Air Base and ask them if they've

heard from them yet."

"Aye, aye, sir," the Lt. replied. He made the

connection and after a few moments reported back to

the CO. "They haven't heard from them, sir."

"Damn!" The CO exclaimed. "I'll go speak with Admiral

Chegwidden. Keep my informed if you hear anything."

"Aye, aye, sir," the Lt. replied, going back to

trying to pinpoint where their position was.

Dinner

"That was a beautiful speech, Bud," everyone tells

Bud after he finishes giving his speech. Everyone is

smiling and drinking champagne as the Admiral's cell

phone goes off.

"Chegwidden?" He rises from the table and walks a few

feet away to hear whoever is calling him.

"So beautiful, Bud," Mac says.

"To tomorrow," Bud replies.

"Here, Here," everyone says. Bud, noticing the

admiral's worried face as he gets off the phone, looks

to him.

"Would the uh, admiral, like to add anything?" Bud

asks. AJ walks back to the table, not knowing how he's

going to say this.

"Um…" he pauses and clears his throat. "I was just

patched through to Captain Ingles, the Skipper aboard

the carrier, Patrick Henry. Commander Rabb and his

Rio, Lt. Hawkes, got into some trouble on a, uh, bingo

to Andrews. They um, don't know whether they've landed

or if they went down, but it looks like they went down

at sea."

"Oh my god," Renee says, beginning to freak out.

Everyone at the tables looks at the admiral in

disbelief and looks at the others around them.

"Well…why would they be flying in this weather?"

"Harm was um…trying to make it back in time for the

ceremony," the admiral replied. Mac looks like she's

just been shot as she holds her breath and doesn't

know whether to stay there or run away.

Carrier

"Tell S.A.R. to launch and scan the area we last

heard from them at. If they did land, we'll let them

know as soon as we hear something," Captain Ingles

said.

"Aye, aye, sir," the young Lt. replied.

Dinner

The Father is saying grace and everyone is taking his

words to heart. A man comes in with a speaker phone -

radio thing so everyone can hear something if they get

an update. Mac talks about how the thing works. Lt.

Singer comes up to Mac and says Harm will make it

because he has someone in his life now. I think she

did this only to make Mac feel even worse.

Cape Fear Airport

"This is Cape 151. I need emergency first-aid and an

ambulance on the runway. A tomcat just crashed along

the left gate at the far end of the runway. Now!" The

emergency team hopped in their trucks and the airport

ambulance and EMTs all rushed to where the tomcat was

turned on its side. Meanwhile, inside the Tomcat,

things weren't going so well.

"Skates?" Harm asked, weakly. He tried to move, but

with being sideways and almost all the way upside

down, there wasn't much moving he could do. All the

blood was flowing to his head.

"Uh," a sound came from behind him. "Harm?"

"You okay, Skates?" Harm asked, trying to move just

an inch. His right arm twisted and felt limp.

"I'm alright, but I think my leg's broken." Skates

couldn't move either. Her strap was pinning her to the

seat. "What about you?" Harm was also trying to wiggle

a little so he wouldn't feel so uncomfortable.

"My arm's all twisted, and…" Harm stopped and felt

the ride side of his forehead. There was a deep gash

right beside his eyebrow.

"What else, Harm?"

"I have a gash on my forehead, but I'm alright." The

tomcat moved slightly, and Harm and Skates froze.

"How are we going to get out of here, Harm?" Skates

whispered. Harm didn't answer, but tried to look

through the front of the tomcat. He could see red

lights. That was all he could make out through the

rain.

"I think help is on the way," he replied…

Switching from the Carrier to the Dinner

"Us and Washington Center lost connection with them

when they were approximately 172 miles away from

Andrews. They were running into flight operation

problems, but weren't calling an emergency," the CO

says, explaining to the Admiral exactly what's going

on. "The SAR helo is out now, scanning the area to see

if we can find anything. We're also standing by to see

if we get word from anyone on their condition."

Mac waits patiently, waiting for the Captain to say

more. She's listening to what the Viking and the CO

are speaking about.

"Viking, have you seen anything?"

"Nothing yet, sir. We're scanning everyone and we

haven't seen a flare or a raft, sir," the Viking helo

pilot replied.

"How's the weather out there?"

"Not good, sir. We have high swells. It's a bumpy

ride, sir."

"Keep scanning the area and we'll keep you informed."

"Aye, aye, sir." All was quiet for a moment.

"Admiral, you see the situation we have," Captain

Ingles said to AJ.

"I do, Captain," AJ replied.

"There is a chance that they landed somewhere. They

might not have even got down."

"How likely is that, Captain?"

"About a thousand to one, sir," Ingles replied

quietly, knowing that there was almost no chance that

they could've stayed in the air.

"But there still is a chance?" Mac anxiously asked.

Everyone in the room looked at her as she said this

over the CB. Mic looked at her with a disappointed

look.

"Yes, Colonel, there is," Captain Ingles replied.

"But, I don't want to get your hopes up. The storm…"

Captain Ingles was interrupted by the Lt.

"Sir, its Commander Rabb!" the excited Lt. yelled.

"He's on the phone." Mac started breathing normally

again and smiled. Everyone in the room was silent and

didn't move, wanting to hear if it really was Harm.

"Are you sure, Lt.?" the captain asked.

"Yes, sir," the Lt. replied, holding out the phone.

Ingles took the phone and put it to his ear.

"Commander Rabb?" the Captain asked, putting the

phone to his ear.

*Continued in ADRIFT II*


End file.
